Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Fringe Festival 2017: "Whisper Into My Good Ear"

Summary: Two old bums sitting on a park bench talking about life and death.

Highlights: This is a sweet and sad story of friendship and talking stock of one's life. Lawrence Ripp and Patrick O'Brien are Charlie and Max, two friends with not much to live for. They're a bit like the Odd Couple. Charlie is gregarious and fairly satisfied with life, despite the fact that he's going blind and his wife doesn't know who he is anymore. Max is reserved and prone to making profound and obscure statements. He's alone in life, and ready to be done with the whole thing. The two men sit on a park bench and talk for an hour, which isn't as boring as it sounds, rather it's sweet and sad and poignant. Lawrence and Patrick (who also directs) both give thoughtful, lived in performances that make you empathize with both men.

Cherry and Spoon

The sculpture "Spoonbridge and Cherry" was created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen in 1988 for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center, original site of the Guthrie Theater. I chose "Cherry and Spoon" as the name of this blog because it seems a fitting and recognizable symbol of the Minnesota cultural scene.